Heal My Heart
by itsapaigeturner
Summary: "I cannot deny my feelings for you any longer, Ellie. And I would like to take you on a proper date." Elizabeth "Ellie" Carmichael doesn't have the best luck in relationships, and wishes to never date again. Stu Bennett wants nothing more than to fix her broken heart. Will he get the chance? One-shot request written for LegitElizabethWWEFan!


_Heal My Heart_

* * *

"I'm telling you," Elizabeth 'Ellie' Carmichael began, "Brazil is going home with the gold."

Stu Bennett, better known as Bad News Barrett, shook his head with a grin. "If they win, they won't need to go anywhere."

Connecting her palm to his arm, Ellie forced herself not to break out in contagious laughter. "Don't be such a smart-ass. You know what I meant."

"If you meant to say that Brazil is going to win the World Cup, then you're wrong. My bet is on Germany."

Ellie twirled a strand of wavy chocolate brunette hair with her fingers and allowed herself to smile. "Not rooting for your motherland?"

"My motherland? If you're suggesting England will win the whole thing, I'm sorry but I've got some _bad news-_"

"Save it," she demanded, holding up her hand. She sighed and looked away. For some reason that she could never quite explain, she'd always had trouble standing her ground when she was around Stu. He had a hold on her, and despite her best efforts, she seemed to fall into his trap relentlessly. But her past was still haunting her with every step of the way, and not even his best efforts could take a hold of her completely.

Noticing her sudden change, he reached over and lightly skimmed his hand across her arm. "Is everything ok?"

She smiled up at him before looking back down at her locked hands in her lap. "There's just...a lot on my mind. I've been here for almost a year, and they're finally moving me up to the main roster."

Her confession warmed his heart. "That's wonderful, Ellie. We'll be seeing a lot more of each other then."

"You'd think after years in the independent promotions they'd realize my potential a lot sooner," she joked. "No, but I'm happy. Even though it's taken a lot longer than expected, I'm still proud of myself."

"Likewise," he spoke up. "Of you. Proud of you, not myself. That wouldn't make sense."

They both shared a laugh, and he found the spark of courage that he'd been waiting for. He'd always had..._feelings_...for Ellie. He's always seen her differently than the others backstage. He was the only one who believed that her bright purple eyes were natural; rare, but natural. And he was the first to notice the antique compass tattoo that covered the upper left portion of her tanned back. Everything from her Colombian identity to her self-confidence was attractive to him. And, quite distracting to say the least.

"You know," he coughed, "there's been a lot on my mind as well."

Ellie smiled in his direction. "You can tell me anything, Stu."

He nodded, knowing it to be true. She was trustworthy and kind - traits that his former girlfriends always seemed to lack. Now, all he had to do was get Ellie to agree to be his girlfriend, and his track record would be wiped clean.

"I've been thinking about something a lot lately. And, it's kind of embarrassing how long it's taken me to say something." He paused, glancing at her to make sure it was alright for him to continue. She smiled slightly back at him and he gulped down his nerves. But, before he could say anything more, there was a knock at the door.

"Let me get that," she excused herself, getting up to get the door. But when she returned, Stu had already picked up his jacket and phone, fixing himself to leave. "You're heading out?"

He sighed. "I have a busy day tomorrow," he half-lied. "And, I'm sure that you do too. I wouldn't want to keep you."

She nodded and opened the door for him. "I'll see you tomorrow, then?"

He nodded before leaving, quickly heading to his own hotel room where he would be safe from his own disappointment.

* * *

After a long day of meetings and contract negotiations, all Ellie wanted to do was spend her night sleeping. But when Brie Bella showed up at her doorstep, she was too polite to send her on her way.

"Come on in," Ellie said with a beaming, yet fake, smile. "How may I help you?"

Brie, who had known Ellie ever since the Colombian diva joined the company, sat down on the comfortable hotel couch. "So, I remember what you said about guys and their bad reputation when it comes to being with you, but I think I have a solution to all your problems."

"Brie," Ellie warned. "I'm not ready to date anybody right now."

"Please don't be modest."

"I'm not being _modest_. I'm being serious." Walking into her kitchen, she poured herself a glass of water. "Whenever I'm with a guy, the relationships always end the same way. They always find another girl to be with on the side."

Brie sighed. "Ellie, not all men are mindless pigs."

"Maybe not the men on your side of the galaxy." She watched as her friend turned away. "I'm tired of being used and cheated on, Brie. I just want to wait until I find the right guy."

As their conversation continued, they were clueless to the Brit who was secretly listening in on their conversation. After all, he had to hear what Brie was telling her considering he was the one who sent her to deliver good news.

But after hearing her heartbreaking revelations, he was more determined then ever to be the one to steal her heart and heal it with love.

* * *

_Don't leave me now..._

_Don't say goodbye._

_Don't turn around..._

_Leave me high and dry._

It wasn't the first time that Ellie had zoned out before one of her matches to _Ride _by Lana Del Rey. Something about her voice was enough to get her heart racing, and considering it was about to be her first match on RAW, she would need to extra encouragement.

Before she had the chance to finish the song, a strong finger tapping on her shoulder sent her back into reality.

"Stu," she said happily and she took the ear buds from her ears and turned her body to face him. "I'm really glad to see you. I can't believe that this is actually about to happen."

He smiled. "How much time before your match?"

"About twenty minutes. I've been jamming out to Lana's albums, waiting for the time to pass."

"She's always gotten your spirits up," he commented, noting how much the woman loved the artist - something that he learned through their numerous talks. "But, do you think she'd mind if I pitched in?"

Laughing slightly, Ellie shook her head. "No, not at all."

"Good," he said as he sat down, prompting her to as well. After a moment of building his confidence, he rolled his shoulders back and looked her in her gorgeous purple eyes. "Do you remember how I was about to say something when we were interrupted?"

She nodded. "The infamous knocking-on-the-door interruption. It's a classic."

"Well, I was in the midst of saying something important. And if you don't mind, I'd like to say it now." He cleared his throat and looked down at her hands, which were nervously locked together. "I cannot deny my feelings for you any longer, Ellie. And I would like to take you on a proper date. To prove that not every man on your side of the galaxy is a pig."

Suddenly, sweat was forming on the back of her neck. "Who told you that?"

"Told me what?"

"That every man on my side of the galaxy is a pig," she muttered. "I told that to Brie last night, in confidence." She stood up and began to pace around the gorilla position. "Did Brie set you up to this - to prove me wrong?"

"What - no." Stu stood up and gently grasped her shoulders, turning her to face him. "I asked Brie to put in a good word for me, and I ended up following her to your hotel room to see if it went well. I overheard your conversation." He paused and looked into her eyes deeply. "I want to be with you, Elizabeth. And if you'd let me, I will heal that heavily broken heart."

Forcing herself to hold it together, Ellie shook her head and pulled away. "I can't," she whispered. "I have to go."

And with that, he watched the woman of his dreams pull herself together and exit the area, entering the arena full of people who would soon love her almost as much as he did.

Almost.

* * *

Stu wasn't the kind of guy to give up on something he cared about. Whether it was wrestling or Elizabeth Carmichael, if he was determined enough, he would make it happen. And so for weeks, six to be exact, he eased himself back into the picture, trying to heal her the best he could.

He started with flowers and an apology note.

_Dearest Elizabeth,_

_I realize that I made a huge mistake. I know now how terrible it must have felt when I tried to force you into a relationship with me. Please know that I want nothing more than your unbreakable happiness. And I hope that with time, we can forget the awkwardness of the evenings events and move past this day. If you're happy with being friends, then I am happy as well._

_-Stu_

Then, he casually ran into her at a company get together, purposely seating himself next to her whenever possible. They would rekindle their friendship later that evening, with a promise that whatever happens, they will always be there for each other in the most meaningful of ways.

But he wasn't after a meaningful friendship. He wanted more. More than to put a pause on her breaking heart. He wanted to start over, clear her memory of all the pain that had been stowed upon her. He wasn't going to settle for a half-broken hearted Elizabeth Carmichael. He wasn't going to stop until she was healed and in his arms.

He asked her on another date two weeks after their friendship was resumed. And almost as quickly as the topic was brought up, it was shot down by her yet again. This time, however, he didn't send flowers and a note. He went straight to her and asked why on earth she was being so protective.

She's been hurt. She's been used. She's been the 'other woman'. She didn't want to give heartbreak an easier shot at her this time.

No. Not this time. This time she would be in control of her own destiny. Her own fate.

She was going to rewrite the ending to her story.

And he was going to be in it, one way or another.

Finally, after six weeks of asking her out and being shut down, he'd realized that she was just waiting for him to give up on her. Just like the other men must have done before him. But, Stu Bennett wasn't like those other men. He was caring, daring, and charming. He was dashing, and polite, funny, and strong.

He was everything that Ellie wanted. And she knew it.

And she wanted it too.

* * *

She knew it was him on the other side of the door, knocking impatiently. Ellie twisted the knob slowly, opening the door to reveal the exquisite features of Stu Bennett, standing in the dim-lighted hotel hallway.

"May I come in?" he asked, removing his hand from the doorway's arch.

She nodded and stepped aside, closing the door once he'd mad in inside. "I know why you're here," she commented.

"Good," he spoke, walking towards her. "Then this will be a lot easier for me."

Shaking her head, Ellie held back tears. She was too strong to let him see her cry. "Please, Stu. Don't do this."

"Every man that's ever entered your life has come and gone the same. They all treat you wonderfully at first and then turn into cowards and cheaters, smashing the bond you'd created with them. They leave you, broken and confused, without explanations. Am I on the right track?" She didn't respond, so he continued. "But, I'm going to repeat myself. I cannot, and I mean sincerely cannot, deny my feelings for you, Ellie. And over the course of the last six weeks, I've learned that I don't like you." He paused and leaned closer to her face. They both could feel the warmth radiating between them, and Stu opened his mouth. "I love you."

Every word that she was planning on shouting, planning on using to kick him out of her room, vanished from her mouth. Never before had she been told those three words in the same way that he had said them. Like he truly meant it.

With tears in her eyes, Ellie chuckled. "You refuse to give up, don't you?"

He smiled in return, cupping her face gently. "I refuse to hurt you. I refuse to make you regret being with me. I refuse to cheat on you, Ellie. And, yes. I refuse to give up. On you." A smile crept its way onto her face, and she leaped up, kissing him. He gladly returned the gesture before pulling away and pressing his forehead against hers. "Let me prove that I would never cheat on you. Will you please go on a date with me, already?"

"With pleasure."


End file.
